SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — To be outside HonorHealth Rehabilitation Hospital in Scottsdale on a sunny November day, speaking about their recoveries, is what some might consider a miracle for Megan Dyer and Michael Scott.
The two, now former, patients of the rehab hospital originally came through the doors following a rare brain disease and a paralyzing accident. On Thursday, they returned to share about their recoveries and reunite with the therapists who helped them along their journey.
Recovering from 'brain on fire' disease
In February 2023, Dyer noticed that she couldn't remember Taylor Swift lyrics she had memorized for 15 years, couldn't write an email beyond a greeting, and had vision problems.
Her symptoms would worsen, and lead her to be admitted to the hospital, eventually to be diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
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"Which is also known as brain on fire disease, and that is where your body attacks the NMDA receptors in your brain and affects your memory and cognition," Dyer said.
In July 2023, she'd come to the rehab hospital to move towards what was an estimated at least 18 months of recovery.
"I had the mindset of a toddler. I couldn't count, I couldn't add, I couldn't spell, I couldn't write," Dyer said. "I had no personality at that time because I had no memories. So I was a little, probably not my friendliest. I was a little standoffish and just on guard. And then physically, I'd been in a bed for- I see Sarah waving back there - Yeah, I wasn't - Sarah was so patient with me, always."
Dyer says her recovery took 3 months. She's now back to work and working to get her CPA license.
"Recently, I began the process of trying to get my CPA license, and I passed two of the tests for that out of the four," Dyer said.
'Keep going' despite paralyzing accident
Scott can describe the jump on his dirt bike that'd end up paralyzing him in detail.
It was June 2023, and his friend had just successfully completed the jump, and Scott gave it a try.
"Did everything I could to try to save it, ended up throwing the bike away trying to land on my feet, and ended up landing on my butt, broken back, paralyzed. Immediately, I could tell there wasn't any pain when I was sliding on the ground," Scott said.
Scott would come to the rehab hospital needing to learn how to do basic things again.
"When I came to the hospital, I had absolutely no motor movement, and I was still trying to recover some kind of sensation of touch in my legs," Scott said. "By the time I left the facility, we had like quivers of muscle movement way up high at this point now in my stage of recovery, I'm a year and a half out, a little more, I think, and I am able to stand on my own for just a little bit with some muscle spasms."
Therapists like Marissa Sokoloski helped Scott in his recovery.
"He looks a little bit better, a little bit stronger every time I see him," Sokoloski said.
Offering hope, encouragement
In returning to share their stories Thursday, both Dyer and Scott were glad to reunite with those who helped them at the hospital.
Wanting others to find hope and enouragement through their stories.
"I would just hope that it would encourage other people going through difficulties to stay confident in what they are gaining day by day, even if they don't see it day by day, and hope that you know things will come out better on the other end," Dyer said.
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